Outrun the Sun
by MariaFR
Summary: Poppy Evans came to life the eighteenth day of June in 1971, at eleven years old. On June 6th of 1994, Hermione Granger and Harry Potter are prepared to go back in time to save Sirius Black.
1. June 18th 1971

It woke up to life with a sense of wrongness.

_Slow_.

The world around it seemed too bright. The morning light landing in its eyes. It watched as the gentle flow of the wind moved the grass in soft lullaby. The sight was unnerving.

_So slow_

There was an urge in its limbs, a want, a need. It lifted experimentally its legs. The motion was slow and hesitating, the limb heavy, as if has never been used. It didn't know what it needed to do but it had to move. All its muscles were alive, buzzing with the need to move and, unable de resist, it stood up; slowly and painfully.

Its vision blurred for an instant as blood rushed to its head, creating a piercing headache. It grew frustrated. It couldn't lie down, and every move was difficult, what was it to do?

"Hey Evans ! what are you doing there?"

There was a human. At the sight of the little boy, the urge calmed in it. It simple stared, as he run toward it. It looked at its environment, the lake in front of it and the beautiful castle behind the boy. It has never been here before, and yet the sight was familiar and comforting.

_Are gauged by what you have to do _

The sight of the gold and red tie lazily attached around the boy's neck made it pause in its wondering. It concentrated on the boy again.

"When did you came here? It didn't see you arrive." As he came closer, he seemed confused, is brows furrowed. "You're not Evans."

Grey eyes, not stormy anymore but full of childish wonder. Curly black hair, like the rest of his family. It knew this human and yet, it did not. It wanted to say something, but all the knowledge couldn't leave its throat. Its hurt so much. So many words were resting in its stomach (Sirius ! SIRIUS!) but it mouth was dry.

"I- I think I'm lost", was all it could say instead. It was the truth at a level it couldn't yet comprehend, but it felt it at its core. It was lost. _I have outrun the Sun. _More than Sirius Black could ever imagine.

Its voice was light, strangely melodious, wrong but more importantly young. It didn't remember being younger. The boy frowned in worry.

"Are you okay? Maybe it's better that I bring you to Pomfrey, you don't seem too well. Follow me."

Without waiting for an answer, he grabbed its arm and dragged it toward the castle. It frowned, frustrated but didn't resist.

It has to stay with the boy, it was sure of that.

_My use and value unto you_

"What house are you in ? I don't think I ever saw you, and I know every first year!" he boasted.

"I'm not in first year."

He stopped and looked back at it.

"You're not? But you're so small!"

Young Sirius Black was loud and unapologetic about it, it thought. Yet, it knew no Sirius Black. To be truthful, it knew no one. Hearing no response, the boy resumed its walking. They walked silently 4 min and 23 seconds before the Gryffindor couldn't stand the silence anymore.

_I mark the hours_

"What's your name ?"

What was its name ? Did it have one ? It felt wrong to have a name. It was not meant to have a name, it was not mean to have a voice, it was not meant to even have a body. The only thing it felt right was running and the sight of Sirius has suppressed this urge. It stared at the ground, the field filled with little red flowers.

A feeling (so wrong) passed through its body. A vision of the flower on clothes, it front of the heart came to mind. Again words came to it, this time its body listened.

_I mark the hours, every one_

"Poppy", it simply said.

The name was wrong, of course, like the world around it but it fitted right with this veil of reality. Something settled over it, like a contract being signed. Poppy.

_Are gauged by what you have to do_

And with this name came an identity. She was Poppy. Poppy Evans. She had two sisters and today was an important day (today was important, they needed to hurry, they needed time).

_Outrun the sun_

It was with this inherent knowledge of who she was that the need to run came back, stronger than before. Her core was buzzing with excitement, her legs trembling. Poppy shook her hand out of Sirius's hold. He stopped immediately, puzzled.

"Sirius, I've got to go." She simply said.

"What are you talking about? The infirmary is around the corner."

His eyes were wide, confused, but her legs were already moving. Everything was too slow.

_Faster, faster_

"I need to go back, but I see you soon Sirius."

_Spin Spin_

Sirius could only watch as the girl took a single step back before disappearing. No sound echoed around the empty hallway. He stood there, watching the floor, stunned. Where have stood a little girl, she couldn't have been taller than four feet, remained nothing.

XxX

On June the 18thof 1971, Poppy Evan opened her Hogwarts acceptance letter in the company of her parents and elder sister, Petunia.

They were all silent as Poppy relished in the green ink with her name on it.

_Poppy Evans_

_Bedroom under the stairs,_

_10thRailview road, Cokeworth,_

_Midland, England_

A smile came to her lips at the reminder. But amusement left her eyes as she tried to understand the humor of it (another boy, a closet, but still stairs). Confusion was buzzing in her mind ever since she woke up (came to life ?) at 7 am this morning.

She knew her name, the face of her mother, the warm feeling on her cheeks as her father ruffled her hair and the disappointment as her sister simply ignored her, a wall of soft blond hair and silence.

And yet, she couldn't remember a single moment passed with any of them before today. Even worse, the knowledge of Petunia lit a fire of anger in her stomach, the touch of her father a sense of wrongness and the idea of Lily brought tears of awe into her eyes.

If those contrary feelings weren't enough to rock her mind her body was pulsating with energy, her magic static in her curls, ready to strike. She had never felt so powerful and yet she felt sick. This energy demanded a release that she couldn't offer. She could feel every second slithering down her skin, every hour was tattooed in her mind and time never felt so slow and oppressing.

Poppy felt as Atlas, holding the universe over her shoulders. If she let go she feared what could open.

"A second witch in the family ! Who would have thought ?" joked her father.

Petunia stood up silently and left the room. Poppy could hear her feet thumping as she walked up the stairs.

"Don't worry, she was like this when Lily also left for Hogwarts. She just miss you" assured her mother but the confused with knew Petunia in a way that wasn't natural. She could see her long neck kissing the cheeks of a fat boy a snarl on her lips. " I got an idea ! We will wait for Lily to come back home before telling her the good news! I'm sure she will be thrilled !"

Poppy only shrugged. A name repeated itself in her mind ("Harry!") and she blanched.

XxX

"Poppy Evans !"

Slowly, her head held high, the red headed witch went to the familiar chair. She did not care for the eyes of the hundred of children following her moves (she had never seen Hogwarts so full). Slowly the Hat was deposited on her mane of curls.

"What do we have here ! A little bit young for a first year aren't you ? Or maybe too old ? You don't really make sense"

The voice resonated in her mind as she remembered. There was metallic tingle to it, leaving the effect as artificial. It wasn't an entity, it wasn't alive , nothing but a simple enchanted hat.

"I will let you know that I have many more option than your enchanted mirror ! Quite attuned to magic are you not ? But that's not really a surprise in your circumstances."

Tapping her heels on the ground, Poppy waited for the hat to finish its monologue, 37 seconds have already passed and she didn't know how much she could spend sitting still.

"Not even a little curious about your predicament ? Meh, not for Ravenclaw that one. Stop fidgeting would you ? Gryffindor could maybe be it ?"

At that she stared at her sister's table. The familiar green stare of the other Evans with found hers and the youngest quickly redirected her gaze. (screams resonated in her mind, Harry !). She met eyes with Sirius this time. There was a glint of recognition in his stare that frightened her.

Months have passed since she woke up. The buzzing was still slitherin under her skin and she feared that it will never go away. She tried to live normally but without any memories there wasn't any guidelines to follow. Nobody seemed to have noticed so she tried to live normally. She refused to confront vision of Lily's cries. The boy was a liability to this peace of mind. Curiosity was boiling in his gaze and she knew he will not let it go. And yet he was also Sirius. Her whole being hummed and since their last meeting she finally felt the pressure of the seconds softening. She was here for him, the knowledge of this fact was burning in her mind as much as she knew the time, her magic, her essence.

It frightened her.

"Not as brave as I would like and yet so loyal. I feel you confusion, your detachment. You need to find anchor in this time or I fear that you will flow away as your nature command."

But Poppy wasn't listening. It has already been so long, her feet needed to move, her hands pressing on her tight to stop them from moving. 1 minute 57 seconds. She jumped out of the seat just as the hat yelled, his voice booming across the hall.

"HUFFLEPUFF!"


	2. June 18th 1996

She found herself covered in sand. It tickled, lightly falling on her hair before disappearing, leaving its marks on her skin, golden little tattoos. The cycle repeating itself indefinitely. The rhythm was familiar. She felt so at home that she forgot the seconds passing as if time stopped under this golden rain.

Sound finally came to her. She slowly shifter her sand covered hair to look at the man. No, boy. Or wasn't he an elder? Her sight was obstructed and so she couldn't make out clearly, but she _knew_ in her very being that he wasn't supposed to be here. This was _hers_ as much as Sirius's well-being was hers.

Angry, she slowly walked away from her home to see the intruder more clearly. The man/boy/elder was crying out, sand burning him as the unnatural cycle repeated. Frowning she flicked her hand and the rain stopped.

The dying baby slowly lifted his wrinkled skin. His hand was the size of a man. She sighed at the abomination. She lifted her eyes to the falling objects stopped in motion. She knew it, they were as familiar to her as the sand, as her magic even more than this body and name. But she also knew that they couldn't be anymore, their function was completed and so, with a sigh of a disappointed mother let to her son, they disappeared. Golden grains falling uselessly to the ground, magic disappearing.

She looked back at the intruder. What to do with him now? As her hand lifted, she heard her name, an hand gripped her.

"Poppy ! What are you doing here ?"

Confusion assaulted her. Where was she ? The room was full of falling shelves, dark and ominous. She didn't like it. Time woke up. June 18th 1996. Why was she here ? And who was this girl holding her ?

"W-Who are you ?"

" I don't have time for your games Poppy, we need to go !" And without more information they were running.

Who was she ? Her mane of curl was similar to her own but she could recognize her own sister. No, 18th June 1996. Maybe her daughter ? They were similar enough. She followed, not by curiosity but simply because of the hand that have yet to leave her body.

They found themselves in a big circular room, a big arch standing in its middle. It was familiar and foreign at the same time. Not as much as the sand but more like a nephew or a cousin.

"Hermione !" Came a running boy, dark hair in a mess. Green, familiar eyes fell on her. " Poppy ?"

Those were the eyes of Lily, she was sure of that, the almond shape was the same as hers. Compared to the girl, this one was more similar to her: his eyes, mouth was hers. But the girl had the same curls as she, the same upturned nose and the dark orbs that she shared with Petunia. They couldn't be more different though, if she hadn't seen the similarities in herself she wouldn't have though them siblings.

Then chaos erupted before she could wonder more. She didn't have any intention of asking anything, as we said earlier, Poppy Evans didn't have a bone of curiosity in her body and even less attachement to a world. So even though green lights erupted around her, she simple moved away, the girl grip falling away from her. She didn't move either when she saw her maybe daughter fell under a violet beam.

It wasn't until she felt a familiar man falling away in her arch that she moved, her hand forward as if trying to grip him even thought she knew it needed to happen. A cry on her lips.

"SIRIUS !"

Their eyes connected. Here body fell into sands.

XxX

Poppy woke up with a cry. 2th September 1971. 4 in the morning, 34 minutes et 57 seconds. 58 seconds. 59. 35 minutes. The slow passing of time calmed her.

Once calm again, she stated at her surrounding: circular room with 4 others bed, yellow surfacing around the room and the soft owl of her roommate. Questions surfaced as she saw golden particules on her shoulders. They rose slowly to her lips as the sand fell on her covers leaving golden marks on her skin. She stopped any sound from leaving her lips. She breathed, 4 am, 38 minutes and 54 seconds. She stared back, she had never realized that she had freckles before. She fell back asleep.

XxX

Poppy run aimlessly. As cold as the rain against her skin she could feel the seconds slithering against her body. Counter space, counter time but she refused to make the jump.

Running, she soon discovered was a sure way to calm her magic frenetic pace, but she always had the risk of running to much, too fast, too far. Today it didn't seem to be the case and she happily left her mind wonder.

Moving seemed the be a natural state for her, she knew it but action of it, of this body was foreign. She knew she existed before like she knew the passing of time but yet she couldn't recall anything in this life. Who was she ?

Poppy that's what she had decided to be called but she couldn't remember why (It was important she was sure, she had worn one as she cried). This name was and wasn't hers, it was on the tip of her tongue, blocked down her throat. It's truth that saying your own name was a peculiar occasion but forgetting it too.

"Poppy ?"

Oh here he was. Now that she looked around it was the same place she met in before but not the first time ( they were so afraid, it was night , it came here to kill them ! Ron !).

Slowly she stopped her jogging. As if time restarted she could feel her drenched body, her magic moving to warm her. Her stare met his (he need to fall you cannot stop it). The redhead awaited but Sirius stayed quiet for 34 more seconds.

" You're gonna get wet is your stay there." She simply said. He couldn't get sick, not under her watch. ( someone needed to look after him, he wasn't okay.)

His stare turned incredulous as nervousness finally left him.

" And you're not ? You're wet to the bone ! What are you even doing here ?"

" I was running."

"Under this weather ?"

"it's soothing. I should go back to it."

She took a single step back when his arm grabbed her, she could feel a kind of desperation in his grip.

" Not again ! I need to know !"

She stared at him then. At his still short curls, his curious and lively grey eyes and then at his magic. It was quite potent for someone his age but she knew him to be proficient at it since a young age. But under his own red aura she could find some little grain of gold, familiar gold. She measured him again.

" You know, her voice was calm, you could do it too."

"Uh ? What are you talking about ?"

She herself didn't how to explain. What was she doing ? What was her goal ?

" Running. " she put the emphasis in the word like it made all the sense in the world. An epiphany came to her. " That would explain everything !"

A vigor she had never felt before entered her, was it joy ? Poppy didn't know but she needed to believe that Sirius could come with her.

" That's what I did last Time too ! And it led me to you ! Come with me !"

But Sirius wasn't listening to her.

"So you remember ? It as real ! I'm not some sort of seer or I don't know ?"

Taking advantage of his grip on her she started to draw him toward her as she started moving. She could feel her whole body humming, her golden magic enveloping her as she forced Sirius to follow her. It was hard but she knew that he have been touched too. Almost painfully she could feel the boy start to move as a new voice entered the scene.

" Poppy ? Sirius what are you doing to my sister !"

Sirius stopped, letting go of Poppy in surprise. Before he could understand that fact the little girl had disappeared.

XxX

Poppy let a cry of frustration when she stopped. Maybe it was all a fantasy, maybe Sirius was just a normal boy on who she had latched into. She wasn't the normal one, that's for sure.

Where was she ? The air felt soft with the remaining scent of herbal powder and magic. Slowly knowledge of the medical aisle entered her mind. She remembered a crying girl and frightening eyes in a mirror or the smell of a potion and orange fur.

Slowly she looked at the time. 1996. Again. She had gone quite far, she should go back now. But as she readied herself, she found herself facing a familiar stranger. Memories of a purple beam filled her head.

Here on the infirmary bed, looking at her like she knew her was her daughter.

"Poppy."

And with that she started crying.


End file.
